Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-04-07

ing 81 majors Candle ard kenBa for leay-
ing their seats In the Senate and going TO
Charleston during the last session OF the
LEGISLATURE, but notwithstanding his OPP
position the resolutions we're adopted. III
there ever was o fair, untammeled meet
ing of representative Democrats held IN
this county, that was one. There was not
the slightest effort made, by any one, to
manufacture public sentiment in favor Of
the resolutions or of the course OF the
Anti Camden men Of the Legislature, pre-
paratory to that meeting. No Democrat,
high or low, rich or poor, was prevented
from anticipating therein, and fully and
freely expressing his views, and voting
his sentiments upon the all absorbing
question before it. The affirmative and
negative here called for by the Chairman OF
that meeting upon each resolution, and
every Democrat present was at perfect I'D
erty to vote as he pleased. The court
room, which is a large one, was filed. Mr..
Long, editor Of the Examiner, IN an editor
ial in his paper of the 18th, speaking oil
that meeting, says: "All told, Democrats
Republicans, and visitors from other coun-
ties, there were about one hundred and nifty
people in the Court House" He Is just
about one hundred and fifty short OF the
number. When giving his answer to the
third of the above questions propounded
to him he SAYS: do not knOw"-why?
Was he too busy discharging bis other
duties as Secretary OF the other meeting
that he could not form an idea how many
Democratic votes there were present: Mr..
Longs editorial and answers to the above
questions shows his aversion to stating the
facts about the meeting of the 9th.
Now. a. to the other meeting, which
we term "A Mass Meeting" the facts are;
Late Oh the evening of the 9Th 1t was
rumored that the Camden Democrats would
hold meeting that night. After dark
word was sent around to the stores, hotels
and other public places, that meeting
wound be held, but it was nearly y
O'Clock before the Court House bell was
sounded. About forty or hlty people as
sembled, a considerable majority OF whom
were opposed to the objects and purposes
for which the meeting was called. DIR.
Carpenter moved that Mr. NJ. McSchea act
as Chairman and Mr. Long Secretary.
They were declared elected and took the
places assigned them. DIR. Carpenter then
presented his resolutions and eN-
| blamed their reasons for hold
| inc the meeting to be because they
understood the resolutions passed by the
meeting the day before were to be puD-
lished. Mr.. NJ. W. Gamble inquired OF
the Chairman what kind of meeting 1t
was-whether every Democrat would ne
permitted to participate in it. The CHAIR
man replied lit was a Democratic meeting
and ne presumed every Democrat could
participate" then addressed him, aud
said: The meeting ought not to be held
| that they had all participated i'll the meet
| ING the day before and had expressed their
dissent from the resolutions adopted by
voting against-that if they desired to EN-
! phasize their dissent from the reso-
iutions adopted the previous day, the
proper way would he to publish
! a paper, and all sign 1t,
which would show exactly how many OF
them there we're That to publish these
resolutions as expressive of the sense oiany
considerable number of Democrats in this
county would he misleading, fraud, and
q cheat. | also reminded DIR. Carpenter
! that he was in the meeting the day before
and had there publicly admitted he was IN
| a hopeless minority in this county, and
| that the action OF himself and colleagues
now was in direct contTaventiOn of the
doctrine that the majority must rule,
| sought 10 be brought to bear by the friends
! of Mr.. Camden against the course OF the
| "kickers," so called. TO my remarks DIR.
! CARPENTER replied with considerable acrl-
mony, torgetiul OF his accustomed bland,
Sauye manners, aud declared in loud tones
and in the most emphatic manner that II
was a monumental piece Of impudence in
me or any other person VINO approved the
resolutions passed the day previous to
even attempt to take part in his meeting
that the chairman was mistaken
when he said in reply To Mr.. Gam
Bile, that any Democrat would be
permitted to participate; that nobody
opposed to his resolutions would be per
mitted to vote. The Chairman immedi'
ately reversed himself and said the Doctor,
was correct. Mr.. J. W. GilkeSon re-
minded the Doctor that he uadinvited him
! to be present. Several others said they
/ had been invited to be present also. DR.
! Carpenter admitted that he had invited
! Mr.. Gilkesou, hut said he told him he
would not he permitted to vote. After
some elimination and rccriminatiOn he
tween the Doctor and Capt. Chiplcy the
Doctor demanded that Il vote should be
taken on his resolution-and that nobody
should be permitted to vote who was oppO
sed to them. The Chairman said the Doc
tor was right that the noes should not be
called; he called for the affirmative and
positively refused to call for the negative
and declared the resOlutsOn adopted and
adjourned the meeting. ] called for tht
negative, myself, and the response was
overwhelmingly against the resolution
| Mr.. Long the Secretary Otthe meeting says
he does not know how many Democratic
voters there were in it approving OF thOS'
resolutions; that he could not ram'
them now. propose to name them for hin
and defy him or anyone els
to name any more than | do. | name S
| 4. McMechen, w. c. Long, DIR. Geo. II
Carpenter, DIR. II. 5. Hedges, Joseph |
Cunningham, August Bierkamp, J. w
Barry, q. X. Lobb, Charles Clowen, Casse!
and Aaron Meyers, Bert Alexander, c. w
Pareal and John Fisher. Several of theS
have since said that they did not approx,
of the meeting or vote tor the resolution
Such are the facts respecting the TIVE
meetings recently held in this county
The Democrats OF the State will have III
difficulty in concluding that your mas
meeting" was stupendous affair.
My only purpose in writing this pape
is to lay before the Democrats of the Stat
the facts that they may judge for them
selves, and as you claim your paper to b
the leading Democratic organ of the Stat
| hope you will publish it. NOtwithstand
ing | was "a former candidate for tn
District Attorneyship' and am "a gentle
man who has proved himself TO be devOu
champion of the cause of the kickcrs."
Respectfully,
JOSEPH SPRIGG.
FT,V~